20 May, 2000, New York

Mr. President,

First of all, I would like to, on behalf of the Chinese Delegation, express our heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to you for your unremitting efforts to make this Review Conference a fruitful one. Thanks to your wisdom and leadership, this Conference has gained some achievements. The Chinese delegation sincerely congratulates you. At the same time, I also want to thank the Chairmen of all Main Committees and two subsidiary bodies for their tireless work and dedication.

Mr. President,

This review conference as a whole is successful. States parties conducted a comprehensive and profound review on the implementation of the Treaty, and on the decisions and the Middle East resolution adopted in 1995. In spite of the different views held by States parties, agreement has been achieved on many issues; consensus has been reached on the need to preserve the effectiveness and universality of the Treaty. It reflects the common desire of States parties to safeguard the Treaty and to promote the three principal objectives of the Treaty.

Mr. President,

Motivated by the sincere wish to preserve the international nuclear non-proliferation regime and ensure a positive outcome of the Conference, the Chinese Delegation has actively participated in the work of the Review Conference. As a result of the difficult consultations that involved all parties, the Conference has a final document now. We agreed to the adoption of the document. At the same time, we are of the view that the Conference also reflects differences far apart on some important issues. The Final Document is flawed with certain shortcomings.

First and for most, the final document has failed to fully reflect the current international situation, nor does it call for the removal of fundamental obstacles to nuclear disarmament. Over the recent years, military factors have increased in international relations, military blocs have been expanded and strengthened. Armed aggression and gross interference in the internal affairs of other countries still take place. The national missile defense project could sabotage the global strategic stability, and put the ABM treaty under great challenge, The danger of weaponization in outer space is increasing. All these are the fundamental reasons that have impeded nuclear disarmament process and undermined the efforts preventing nuclear weapon proliferation.

Second, the final document has omitted or failed to place enough stress on some necessary principles and measures in the field of nuclear disarmament, such as:

----The nuclear-weapon states with the biggest stockpiles should undertake special responsibility for nuclear disarmament and take the lead in reducing their nuclear arsenals and delivery systems;

---- The nuclear-weapon states should abandon the policy of nuclear deterrence based on "first use of nuclear weapons";

----All the nuclear-weapon states should commit themselves unconditionally not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states or nuclear-weapon-free zones;

----States with nuclear weapons deployed outside their borders should withdraw all these weapons home;

---- Abolishment of "nuclear umbrella" and "nuclear sharing" policies and practices.

The Chinese Delegation believes that above-mentioned principles and measures are prerequisite to promoting nuclear disarmament and the nuclear non-proliferation process, and should be achieved through tireless efforts instead of being neglected.

Mr. President,

To put on the record, the Chinese delegation wants to make our position clear concerning some issues contained in the Final Document:

On the FMCT issue, our position is that a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty (FMCT) should be conducive to nuclear weapon non-proliferation and the promotion of nuclear disarmament. For that reason, China supports negotiating and concluding an FMCT. Meanwhile, facing the clear and present danger of the "missile defense" program and weaponization in outer space, we believe that the prevention of an arms race in outer space is more urgent than the negotiation of FMCT. Therefore, the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva at least should deal with three major issues, namely, PAROS, nuclear disarmament and FMCT in a balanced and comprehensive way. Concerning the time frame of the conclusion of FMCT, our delegation supports an early conclusion of such a treaty in accordance with an agreed program of work at the Conference on Disarmament. It should be admitted that there are a lot of uncertainties in the negotiation-related factors, which are hard to predict or prejudge. To set the time frame artificially is not only unreasonable but also impractical.

On the Specific measures to reduce the danger of nuclear warfare and the so-called intermediate measures, the Chinese delegation believes that the most important priorities are: unconditional no-first-use unconditional negative security assurance to all non-nuclear weapon states, withdrawing home of all nuclear weapons deployed outside the borders of the nuclear weapon states and the foregoing of nuclear umbrella and nuclear sharing. Any "confidence building measures" divorced from these, will not be feasible. Further more, no relevant measure can be implemented without a necessary strategic stability environment.

The Chinese Delegation also believes that all countries have the right to peaceful use of nuclear energy. When exporting nuclear materials to States non-Parties, all States Parties to the NPT should strictly abide by the provisions of the Treaty, in particular article III, so as to ensure that the exported items are under IAEA safeguard and only be used for peaceful purpose.

Mr. president,

As ever, China will faithfully fulfil its obligations under the NPT. We will continue to make all efforts for reaching the Treaty's goals of nuclear disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation and peaceful use of nuclear energy, in accordance with our positions and principles as set out in our general statements and working papers in this review conference.

Mr. President,

I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to all delegations for their cooperation and effort, to his excellency Dhanapala, Under Secretary General of the United Nations, to Ms Hoppe, Secretary General of our conference, and to all the people who have worked so hard for this conference.

Thank you, Mr. President.